Facades can be Deceiving

Another week, another dérive. This week’s walk was a bit shorter so i’ll try and keep this post a bit shorter too by focusing on a few sights I found interesting. Much like a deranged children’s television program today’s dérive …

Talking a load of Rubbish

The university which I attend is roughly 4.5 miles from one London’s most prominent yet, controversial airports thus the purpose of our dérive is revealed, todays exercise intended to demonstrate the impact of an airport on the surrounding area and …

Close Encounters of the Psychogeographic Kind

As is quite obvious I have been struggling with inspiration for this blog for sometime now. This mostly stems from my insecurities over people reading my written work (hence not taking creative writing). However, I have found a new interest …

Who You Calling A…?

There are many words which exist in the English language that have the ability to degrade women; ‘bitch’, ‘slag’, ‘hoe’, ‘whore’, ‘slut’, ‘mare’, ‘cow’, and these are just the ones permissible to use on daytime soaps. All of these words …

“I Have Cultivated my Hysteria with Pleasure and Terror” – Charles Baudelaire

Recently I have been suffering with an anxiety disorder causing me to become more neurotic then usual, to the point that on occasions I even supposedly, become what is know as “hysterical”. Being defined as having a mental illness I don’t mind, being called hysterical offends me entirely.

Hysteria: derived from the Greek “hystera” which means “uterus”, is an affliction that denotes illness that pertains only to females (those in possession of wombs) or the  embodiment of female characteristics/weaknesses if male genitalia is present. For centuries many aliments documented in women that had less obvious physical causes were said to be symptoms of “female hysteria”. Anything from; insomnia, to being bloated, to just being a bit too outspoken, were blamed on the females weaker mental capability. Ironically, in the 19th century especially, when female empowerment and sexuality were wholly repressed, an increasingly popular cure for hysteria was vaginal stimulation either by a physician, a vibrator or a water jet! An orgasm cured all! Now I wonder if the men who prescribed these treatments truly believed them to have medical effectiveness or if they were simply another tool to be used in the losing battle to oppress women?

The perceived madness of Victorian women is highly documented in the contemporary literature. From Rebecca in Jane Eyre, to Lucy in Dracula, all the way through to Cathy in Wuthering Heights, women of fiction are atypically “hysterical”. Which is hardly surprising when one looks at the draconian, repressed, obtuse men they are confronted with. Brutish, chauvinists whom see them as only objects, any form of independent thought leads them to fear their position of dominance may be threatened. Sadly, these women’s tenacity is in most cases, their downfall.

However, I would like to believe that if I am to be labeled as “hysterical” from time to time I could at least own it as the unnamed narrator of Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s, The Yellow Wallpaper does. She literally walks all over the system that repressed her. The husband who caged her to treat the hysteria that so tormented her, faints at the sight of the actual mad woman she has become and then our mad, unnamed narrator proceeds to crab-walk allover his limp, weak, HYSTERICAL form!

I would subsequently postulate, that hysteria of womankind is not treated by male methods but increased tenfold. In their attempts to subdue and ‘treat’ they create exactly what they fear. Although such extreme methods of treatment have died out in modern psychotherapy, women are still viewed as having a lower tolerance to anxiety and fear by some members of society, male constitutions are perceived as stronger and it is not often that men hear themselves described as “hysterical”.

I feel this subject needs further contemplation at a later date. A few questions to address in many are; do we think before using the term “hysteria”? Are the modern connotations in opposition at all to those previously held? Do cultural perceptions of women having weaker minds/constitutions taint medical opinions at all?

It’s Not Rape, It’s Just for the Camera?!!

An understandable outcry has been heard across England in the past few days calling for a change in the law that allows so-called ‘rape porn’ to be watched legally. In neighboring Scotland this has been outlawed for a couple of years. In the past few minutes, I have done the minor amount of research that I could stomach on the ‘rape porn’ genre, when typed in to google numerous free and payment based websites appear. Just the first glance of most sent shivers down my spine, but none so much as one with videos titled as such; “Domestic Violence Turns into Rape.” Obviously, as a kind of disclaimer I should remind anyone who reads this that ‘rape porn’ is a staged form of sexual activity that takes place between two consenting adults. Yet, what does this glorify? Non-consensual sex derived from force. If someone ‘gets off’ watching staged versions of this surely it is not too much of an unthinkable link that they do the same in their real sex lives. Or would like to!

In the UK rape is already handled with the minimal amount of severity that it deserves. Research conducted by the Ministry of Justice earlier in 2013 revealed that of the 95,000 people who are raped (majority women),  only 1,070 rapists are convicted. With this crime already being so prevalent and so poorly handled, surely anything that glorifies this heinous act should without thought be banned. If not for the women who ignorant fools like to claim “ask for it” then for the minors who ask for nothing of the sort. That is right, not only are these easily accessible websites showing the ‘rape’ of women but of women depicted as school girls! With menu headings such as; “young”, “school girl” and “underage”. With the prolific case of the murder of Tia Sharpe currently being processed by the English High Courts which involved her assailant living out  sexual fantasies of his own, and the 70’s pedophile ring slowly being brought to light in the testimonies of traumatised women, who remember only clammy hands running up and under their school skirts, it begs belief that sights that glorify and eroticses any unlawful sexual acts are allowed to continue streaming content.

Sex and power have always trod precariously on thin ice together, but in light of recent events the only relationship between the two should be that; each party involved in sexual activity should hold power over their own consent and safety as well as, their mind and body. Anything that contradicts these basic rights for any person should be punishable by the law.

 

If She Dances Go-Go Does That Make Her a Hoe?

I write this post on the eve of my boyfriend’s best friend’s stag-do. An infamous night in many men’s lives where one last hurrah is thrown for them by their mates, nothing is off limits in these men’s minds regardless of how debauched or unseemly the act may be. The most time honored event of this night is the stripper, lap dancer or hooker (depending on just how many ‘banter points’ friends are looking to score.) Aside from the questionable judgement used by the ‘stag’ on this hallowed last eve of freedom (if you class the last night out before one’s wedding a reason in some cases to forego the monogamy expected in most long-term relationships), one other thing troubles me, the perception of the woman payed to entertain these men. Is she seen purely as entertainment? Is she seen as an example to other women? Is she an object? One has to question what a woman’s motives are behind such an occupation. Is she desperate? Is she empowered?

What if her empowerment stems from delusion?

Prostitution is said to be the world’s oldest profession, reaching back to ages of conquest and short life expectancy. So why in our modern age does it still thrive? Let us look at the lower level of exploitation; strip clubs. Strip clubs are a gateway between what is legal and what is illegal.Owning such an establishment is a legitimate front but often there is shady background activity, be it more hardcore forms of buy-able sexual experience, or drugs, or sometimes both. All though these elements are not to be spurned lightly, strip clubs at a surface level have enough provocative talking points for one blog post.

Firstly, what are men looking to gain when attending strip clubs?

I think it is deeper then just a voyeuristic pleasure, objectively I believe the thrill comes more from the attention. A woman who can’t refuse you as long as you play by the rules (or pay enough), she will smile at you when you want and whisper sweet-nothings in your ear – “Baby, you’re so handsome”, “Daddy, your so rich” etc.  For men who frequent strip clubs often this buzz may be all that sustains them or makes them feel masculine, but for the once-in-a-blue-moon stag participant what is the appeal? If a bride-to-be could be a fly on the wall whilst her fiance watched the erotic dancers paraded in front of him would her view of their intimacy change? Would his lustful stares and willingness to throw money on stage to maintain a particular girls attention denote a certain level of apathy towards his free and tangible relationship? Of course one can only speculate.

What I can be clear on however, is my feelings about the women who choose a career based on a bestial lack of dignity. I will state that I have no objections to pride in the female form, every woman should be free to expose what parts they would like at their own discretion, no piece of a human body is offensive. But to be paid to do so is surely a form of coercion. Women who have to strip to feed their families or pay their student loans aren’t shinning examples of women embracing their sexuality out of choice, it is more a case of who pays the most and what hours accommodate their lifestyles. Students can’t work during the day often, nor can single mothers.  The women who try to convince themselves that they are empowering themselves should really take a step back, selling ones body even without the physical sexual acts is degrading. If the monetary gain is not what entices you to strip then the time spent doing so should be used more wisely, and if the money is the driving factor institutions outside of these women’s own means should prevent it being such an appealing offer.

Until the casual patrons of strip clubs boycott this profiteering sex culture, strip clubs will continue acting as the floodgate for sex trafficking. On top of this, female performers will continue to try to derive some value from the act of stripping, more to ease their weary minds opposed to allowing  the reality of their actions to hit home then to forward any feigned act of feminine empowerment.

Honey, I’m Home!

It seems that women today quiet literally have split personalities when it comes to their domestic persona vs their workplace persona. Everyday I watch female colleagues of mine actively state their opinions on work matters, defy our male boss and overall, rule the roost. Yet, when asked to come for drinks after work or attend any other such extracurricular activities their home lives won’t allow it. They are picked up from work instead of having their own cars, they will only come out when it is a couples night, and worst of all, when their partners are sick from work they spend their days calling home, running home in their lunch breaks, and on one incredible occasion, having the week off to nurse them back to health. How can one woman’s life have two such extraneous variables in it? A bad ass at work and a man’s “bitch” at home.

Perhaps financial situations demand that both members of a relationship work in the current economic climate. But is it still true that certain men would prefer a stay-at-home wife/girlfriend and  dinner on the table when they arrive home?

At first I thought it was a class issue, men who hold vocational jobs i.e. builders trying to maintain power in their relationship, my personal experience however, has taught me the opposite. Men are still threatened by women with drive, men who are educated and subsequently around educated women find it difficult to process women not wanting feminine things as a priority. I queried my own boyfriend about the hypothetical situation of if we had children, his immediate reaction was that he would have anticipated me staying at home as his own mother did. For me this is unthinkable. So I posed the question what if I was earning more money? Would he then stay at home? The idea, as one may imagine was preposterous to him!

Overwhelming , the compromise in modern society is that women have children and take jobs that fall within the constraints of their partners job and their children’s school schedules. Therefore, the one place these women can feel empowered is in the workplace. I will end with the example of my Grandmother, whom when younger would quit a job if a boss so much as looked at her the wrong way, but when it came to family life my Granddad’s word was law; dinner was at a certain time, the children were my Grandmother’s responsibility and the home was her prison.

“Feminists Can’t be Religious” – Anna Hutsol

This is a statement drawn from an interview earlier this week in the “i” newspaper with members of infamous Ukrainian feminist group “Femen”. The further comment from the movements founder Hutsol makes the grandiose comment that; “there is no such thing as Orthodox or Catholic feminists or, most absurdly of all, Islamic feminists. It’s ridiculous. They are antagonistic ideologies; mutually exclusive.” I would argue however, that  at a basic level there are two conflicting relationships that can be drawn from looking at women and religion in unison. Firstly, and unfortunately,  in many religions on a collective  level women are still treated as second class citizens but conversely, regardless of whichever deity a religion believes in, all believe in women as one of its creation,  therefore, on a level of personal spirituality perhaps not all women feel rejected by religion. Subsequently, the plausibility of a religious feminist does not seem impossible. Nor is it unheard of.

In the UK at the moment a tremendous battle is being waged within the Catholic church itself, this battle is to allow women to become  ordained.  Women’s inability to become  priests not only bars them from preaching and holding sermons but prevents a high level of spiritual study. A level that allows one to interpret scriptures and in due course pass those interpretations on. Many questions have unsurprisingly been raised by female Catholics as to the  influence  of male bias during such procedures. Ironically, the argument for women not being ordained is given weight by a preferred interpretation of letters from the Apostle Paul in the New Testament, “suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over a man, but to be in silence.” This is a clear example of collective ideals polluting personal levels of spirituality. If looking to be vicious one could question why a “God” who is all inclusive allows for the misinterpretation of their word to subjugate one of their valued creations… Yet the factor that allows this is free will and that is a human attribute that is relished by both sexes.

So whom put men on top? For it was not a God.

At some point in human history women for whatever reason allowed men to dominate. This is still prominent in many of today’s cultures, take for example, Islamic hierarchies. In the Middle East and Islamic circles within western countries women are dictated to by men. One associates items such as the Burqa or Hijab solely with the faith of Islam in modern society however, the religious significance is less important then that of the cultural. Today these garments serve the needs of Muslim males opposed to Muslim Gods, they are just another tool to be used in the ongoing oppression of women, they are not symbols of faith but of servitude. Any culture that glorifies the limitations of women must be questioned, and finally, a revolt is beginning.

Saudi Arabia currently, does not  allow women to drive among other things  its culture breeds such sexism but women are actively posting videos of themselves defying this absurd law, knowing full well they risk imprisonment. Similarly, some one hundred years ago the Suffragettes for went their freedom and some their lives to gain equality,and many still held religious beliefs. The “suffrage” movement continues to this day, with women fighting to gain the accolades that allow them to vote on religious decisions i.e. becoming a cardinal so that women may be included in the choice of who holds the papacy.

So to conclude, is it impossible for one woman to internalize both religion and feminism? I would argue no. Religion is still an uncharted frontier that feminist need to shake up, so to speak. Spirituality is not exclusively male and so religion should not be allowed to be dominated by men. We stopped our legislative decisions being made exclusively by men, so why should one of the purest and most intimate bonds in life be withheld from women? A woman can most certainly be feminists and be religious however,they cannot be complacent and call themselves both.

Lets Talk About (T)it

The NHS states that 11,000 women had elective breast implant surgery in the UK in 2011. This is mostly enhancement surgeries but also reconstructions after mastectomies. This week 37 year old screen siren Angelina Jolie informed the world of her recent double mastectomy. As someone who was not suffering from breast cancer at the time, her choice to go forth with this procedure has generated a global discussion on how effective the measure is, and has also lead ordinary women to question whether or not they would do the same. But why is it such a taboo act? The function of breasts in modern society is arguably non-essential.  So what is the fascination with boobs? And why are we as females so attached to them?

Firstly, Angelina’s experience was incredibly personal and the star is only exhibiting it to raise awareness of the preventative measures available against breast cancer. After losing her own mother Marcheline Bertrand in 2007 to breast cancer the alternative option, had the associated BRCA1 gene manifested into cancer, was understandably an ordeal that Angelina did not wish to repeat or bring upon her own six children.

Although a brave act, as a young woman I can’t help but ponder the ramifications of such a decision. Breasts are so synonymous with female sexuality; they seduce the men, who sire the children, who are subsequently fed from those same breasts (if you excuse the crude paring down of this experience).  Perhaps my reserves come from the perspective of someone who is yet to experience the full spectrum of life. Angelina does already have both her biological and adopted children and a devoted, loving husband in Brad Pitt, who has made his support widely known these past few days. These factors may allow for a sounder state of mind when coming to such a decision, which I am sure was not made in haste. But from a psychological perspective one can’t help but wonder. I for one am not even sure what the attachment to my breasts is, or even if I have one but I feel their absence would take a large level of adjustment.

In a way, to remove any part of one’s body regardless of the reasoning behind it can only be thought of as self-mutilation. Yes, this surgery is a preventative measure but when does it stop? My family genetics show a predisposition towards diseases of the mind, shall I have my brain removed just in case? Granted the vital nature of brains opposed to breasts is a redundant argument but nevertheless, breasts are the ultimate symbol of femininity. Unlike the vagina which is a more lured sexual object, breasts have an acceptable level of sexuality to them. So much so that The Sun newspaper is allowed to consume half a page everyday with them.  Is this why Angelina and many other women will have their removed breasts replaced with plastic alternatives? Is there a need for visible lumps of flesh to be there?  Many other women have made it clear by the need to increase what is already present that breasts may be a female necessity? But who are they for, us or someone else?

I am not blessed in the chest department, hosting a humble 34 A bra size. To some they are the thing of nightmares, look from the wrong angle and one may be scared they had been stolen, however, their size has never been a cause of concern to me, nor their shape or the particulars of the nipples. What has always captivated me though is the level of breast saturation that has been reached in the media, our culture and society. In all honesty much as they do a pubescent boy, breasts baffle me. Their power is vast but the importance that is placed upon them seems ill-gotten. The virtues of breasts have only been imparted on them by a primitive society, a hierarchy dominated by mating potential; their appeal according to a few slightly perverse scientists is their similarity to that of an arse.  So my parting postulation is: would breasts be as elevated in the minds of women and worth pain staking surgeries if men did not deem them so attractive? And if the answer is no, would more women in a similar position to Angelina Jolie be willing to go under the knife?

Related articles

• Angelina Jolie has double mastectomy (guardian.co.uk)